Finally, the Beast Revealed!

At last . . . I am ready to reveal the location, if not the identity, of the beast.

The fragment of Revelation (pictured here), contains a textual variant from Revelation 13:18, which indicates that the true number of the beast is not 6-6-6, but 6-1-6.

And 616 is, of course, the area code for . . . Grand Rapids!

(And just in case you have no sense of humor, this is a joke!).

Comments

[Keith]

Everyone knows that Bill Gates is the Antichrist...and that is simply a fragment from the Microsoft Office docmentation!

[Diet of Worms]

KIM RIDDLEBARGER, add it and it comes to 163, and since he loves the number 4, it becomes 652 and now applying the true and tested principle of very good eisegesis into biblical concepts, to that total add the number of perfection 7 multiplied by two(Since the devil has a real sense of insecurity that people somehow many not believe him and so repeats twice his lie of perfection to make sure) now that comes
to .............................666!

The Man of Sin himself!!!!

"By the way . . . Its a book about the Antichrist, not an autobiography!" (you see that proves my point, the devil has a profund sense of insecurity that somehow people wont buy his lie, so he repeats to make sure)

And do be mislead, poor people, "The Man of Sin" book is really a cunning plan so that the goats go crazy and baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

what can I say more?

Only Patty the Great Robertson the 2000 pound Thunder Boy(TM) can save

[Have fun]

try guessing who is in this picture?
Caption for it: All bark and no bite!

http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/42/10213/1024/Evangelichihuahua.jpg

["lee n. field"]

"More can be written here and I certainly didn't elaborate enough - but I am out of time and I think I am going wildly off topic. But that’s my 2 cents." --rick b.

Maybe wildly off topic, but news I want to get. We were in the CRC from the late '70 to 1991 (we moved, no CRC at new home). I had heard that the CRC had gone squishy since we were there, but nothing substantive other than women's ordination.

[Wayne Rohde]

I hope that, despite all the good humor in the above comments, people who hear about Kim Riddlebarger's book "The Man of Sin," will quickly realize that it's head and shoulders above all the rampant speculation about end times events in some circles.

Yes indeed, "The Man of Sin" is a very good and easy read, seeking to unfold for its readers what the Bible really says about "the antichrist" - esp. as rooted in the OT, and developed in what I John, II Thessalonians and Revelation say about "the antichrist(s)," "the man of sin," and "the beast" (etc.), as it relates to the apostolic days, the current age, and the end times.

For the past few months I've been reading some good, older materials from the amil perspective (including, e.g., classic works by Hamilton, Cox, etc., and newer contributions by Grenz, Strimple, etc.) - and finding them to be much better and more compelling than the materials cranked out by Walvoord, Pentecost and Ryrie, for example. A side-by-side look at the reasoning in these volumes reveals, to me, the superior reasoning of the amil position and those who espouse it.

Nevertheless, I find myself returning again and again to what I consider to be a trio of even better and (on the whole) newer books: "The Bible and the Future" by Anthony Hoekema, "The Promise of the Future" by Cornelus Venema, and "A Case for Amillennialism" by Kim Riddlebarger (as well as a very easy popular read: "The End Times Made Simple" by Sam Waldron). At a higher level are the superlative commentaries on the Thessalonians epistles and the book of Revelation, as well as on the temple, by Greg Beale. Also not to miss is Johnson's commentary on Revelation. How refreshing it is to me to see men who are serious about what the Bible says! How refreshing to see NO (i.e., absolutely NO) speculation ... but a serious grappling with the key and relevant texts, so as to build sound theology on sound exegesis! And all of this with a very pleasant spirit. Wow!

"The Man of Sin" is, in my opinion, in this same mold. It's the type of book people need to read, when people are seriously trying to think through what the Bible really says about the sweep of biblical history, including what's in store in the future.

[Frank]

Wayne,

I agree with you about the books you listed above. I am on my second pass through "A Case for Amillennialism. I have ordered "The Bible and the Future" and look forward to reading "The Man of Sin".

I have most of Ryrie, Pentecost and Walvoord. I find them incomprehesible and absurd.

[Rick B.]

Wayne and Frank,

I agree too. I'd be interested in hearing what you think of the writings of Geerhardus Vos - if you have read him.

[Wayne Rohde]

I've intended to read the works of Vos, but haven't gotten around to them yet!

My extremely busy work schedule, combined with my love of God's Word and my joy in reading tons of good theological books, makes it impossible to read everything I'd like to read!

Perhaps some day!

[Ryan Setliff]

I just got a copy of your recent book The Man of Sin Uncovering the Truth About the Antichrist, and I look forward to reading it.

Though, I am historic premillennial like Spurgeon and Ladd, I was impressed by your book on amillennialism, and consider amillennialism and historic premillennialism the only two viable eschatology options in my mind now.

Best,
Ryan Setliff
Puritanhead.com

[Ellen]

"i'd prefer a woman who was a stauch calvinist than a man who is weak kneed. but you have to choose your battles....rob bell is a rodeo clown not worth commenting on..."

Here I am...a woman...staunch five-pointer...in Grand Rapids. In a CRC (but fighting a losing battle against some really strange goings on (let me know if you want more - it's really strange - even synod folks are going "huh?").

Rob Bell may be a clown, but one of his associates is really cute.

[zrim]

ok, ellen...elaborate...you have piqued my interest (as i am also crc in GR).

[Ellen]

zrim...elaborate about how cute Bell's associate pastor is? ;-) I'm single, but alas, he is not. And, he's young.

I've been blogging about this since January - and I just moved my blog and I'm in the process of setting up the links to all of the posts now.

Let's just say that you know of the church (I sort of hope you don't attend) ;-)

["lee n. field"]

"In a CRC (but fighting a losing battle against some really strange goings on (let me know if you want more - it's really strange - even synod folks are going "huh?")." --ellen

I followed that down to your blog. Wow! That's a CRC??? Sounds like things have gone seriously off the trolley in that congregation. You're not still there, right?

[Ellen]

My membership is still there, but I'm attending another CRC - and working with that pastor at a demonination level.

[Ellen]

zrim, follow the link back to my blog and at the top of the sidebar there's a link in the "pages" section called "my (old) church".

With the exception of the letter that I wrote, there is not much here that is not already public knowledge and most of it was posted on line. The exceptions are meeting that I have had and I've disclosed very little, other than the meetings took place.

I left an Arminian denomination because I wanted to be in a church with right teaching. To be in a church in a denomination that gets it (mostly) right, and have all this happen was - frustrating.

[zrim]

ellen,

i have not a lot of time, but i did peruse your web page a bit. i am not sure which church is your old one and i can't say that i am familiar with any of the problems. however, from what you have said about its affliation with anything full gospel...phew, wow. back in the day, before i found the reformation, i taught at a full gospel church school up north. that stuff is just another piece of what riddlebarger has dubbed the evangelical stew. i was IFCA but we looked quite suspiciously at stuff like full gospel.

trust me, i get your frustration with regard to coming out of arminianism, etc.! we have been crc now for about 9 years

i come out of broad evangelicalism and have been reformed for 12 years now. my "story" would take some time to tell. suffice it to say that we have been relatively satisfied in our local GR crc. it's tone of worship and perspective is 'traditional.' i am a deacon there.

in my opinion, sunshine is just another mega church with a gray psalter. it's everything wrong to do with evangelicalism. i hate to throw anymore onto your plodding out personally. but something like sunshine is toned down and mainstream evangelicalism. i have come to embrace protestant reformed confessionalism hook, line and sinker. our church is no outpost for what i truly seek in that vein, but you simply cannot have it all. i would be glad to converse with you further if you'd like (sounds like we may have some things in common with regard to our experiences).

yes, lee, within the crc i would say it's every man for himself. it's a sad fact, but you just have to find the right local communion.

if you haven't already, check out:

1. white horse inn on WFUR sundays at 9:30 PM and MR magazine.
2. anything written by mike horton.
3. anything written by DG Hart.

[zrim]

ellen,

sunshine is a member of the willow creek association. so is my brother's and his wife's church up north. from what i hear about that church, etc. through them and their embracing of all it stands for...man, oh, man!

a new local presbyterian church up there, which has adopted a historical liturgy and weekly communion (where we attend when visiting, redeemer presbyterian), has been accused of 'sheep stealing.' but like the pastor said, if they had been true to the gospel in the first place...

anyway, i hate to sound like i am looking for devil's under doilies, but i simply had it with evangelicalism (and their mecca WC). i was converted by some of the work of hybels and WC, but i have gone a completely different direction and have been all the better for it.

[Ellen]

When I went looking for a church a few years ago, I specifically checked to see whether or not a church was in the Willow Creek Association. If they were, they got crossed off the list. At that time Sunshine was not.

The local CRC that I'm attending now is about 4 blocks from my house and the youth group accepted my daughter gladly. I've talked to the pastor at length and I think it'll be a good fit.